(Oct. 1, 2021 – York, Pa.): Osmy Gregorio’s ninth inning sac fly capped a rollercoaster of a game as the York Revolution walked off the Gastonia Honey Hunters, 8-7 in the opening game of the regular season’s final homestand on Friday night at PeoplesBank Park. The Revs pull within two games of first place in the North Division with the win, with just eight games to play in the 2021 campaign.
The Revs saw a ninth inning lead get away as the Honey Hunters plated three unearned runs, only to have York rally for three of its own for the Revs’ seventh walk-off victory of the season.
Down two, Josue Herrera ignited the game-winning rally with a one-out pinch-hit double to right-center. Nellie Rodriguez walked and Carlos Franco cracked a broken bat RBI single to right to cut the deficit to 7-6. Welington Dotel walked to load the bases and pinch-hitter Jack Kenley drew a free pass, forcing home the tying run. Gregorio slammed the decisive drive to deep right-center, allowing Franco to trot home with the winning tally.
Franco (4-for-5) launched a tiebreaking home run to left-center, leading off the bottom of the eighth and providing what appeared to be the possible winner with a 5-4 lead.
Gastonia fought back as Jason Rogers reached on a one-out infield single and went all the way to third on a ball off the bat of Boog Powell that skipped past Gregorio at shortstop for an error. Powell stole second before Revs closer Jim Fuller struck out league home run leader Joshua Sale looking for the second out. But with two in scoring position, pinch-hitter Jonah Girand bled a slow roller off Franco’s glove and into shallow left for a two-run single and a 6-5 Gastonia lead. Manuel Geraldo followed with an RBI double to right-center, putting the Revs behind 7-5 heading into their last at-bat heroics.
Gastonia struck first in the back-and-forth affair, loading the bases with no outs in the first but York starter Austin Nicely made it an unsatisfying first inning for the visitors, allowing only a run on a double play ball.
The Honey Hunters went up 2-0 in the second on a two-out RBI single to center by Jake Romanski.
York’s first answer of the night came in the form of a two-out, two-run double down the right field line by JC Encarnacion, leveling the ledger at 2-2.
Romanski singled up the middle with two outs again in the fourth, bringing home another run for a 3-2 Gastonia edge.
Gregorio teed up a line drive two-run homer to straightaway center in the bottom of the fourth, giving the Revs a 4-3 advantage.
Geraldo led off the top of the sixth with a high solo homer to left-center, drawing Gastonia even at 4-4.
The Revs have won a season-high-tying four consecutive home games and will entertain the Honey Hunters in a doubleheader on Sunday afternoon, beginning at 2 p.m. The single admission twinbill features Celebration of Abilities presented by PENN-MAR Human Services, a Bruce Arians Cap Giveaway presented by WellSpan Health, Bark in the Park including a Chew Toy Toss, and Sunday Family Fun Day presented by Weis Markets. Tickets are on sale at YorkRevolution.com, (717) 801-HITS, and in-person at the Shipley Energy Ticket Office.
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